WHAT HEFFERNAN TOLD US

We’ve been working away behind the scenes now for a fair while now.

We started off watching every W-league game that the Wanderers played last season plus all the other W-League games throughout the year.

We went out and watched a lot of the other NPL games locally. And then we started to look overseas and at the World Cup for other players, so we’ve spread the net far and wide in terms of recruitment, and we feel like we have some of the best players from each of those areas

There’s still a couple of spots up for grabs for sure…we’ve just held trials for about 25-30 girls to come in and train with us for a couple of weeks on top of all the other scouting, and we feel like we have some really good options in terms of players who are going to push for scholarships and those last couple of professional contracts.

We’ve kept a small group of those players who can join in with the squad throughout preseason, and by the end of it hopefully a few of them get themselves contracts as well.

To be honest, I feel like all of our signings are really exciting. Every player we’ve spoken to we’ve sat down with them and had meetings, they’re all ambitious, they all want to achieve things this year for the club and also individually.

Heffernan in action for Western Sydney during his playing days

It’s an Olympic year after the season so there’s a lot to play for in terms of national team selection. Even with the Young Matildas, there’s a lot happening with them over the next couple of months as well. 

Obviously, girls in the NWSL mean it’s a very good league and it aligns with the W-League very well in that we can have players from there come to us on loan and still get back in time for their own preseason with their clubs. The NWSL is obviously something that you look for those top-quality players.

For us, we’re really happy with the squad we’ve put together. We’ve got a few surprises up our sleeves.

We’re just really excited about the season and delighted with everyone and the attitude and mentality of all the players we’ve signed so far.

It’s going to take time for us for sure, we’ve put together a team that’s definitely going to be there when there’s trophies to be won…one thing we’re definitely not going to be is there to make up the numbers…

It’s a great time to be a part of the Wanderers

Every player is a star signing, they’ve all got something individually that they add… everyone’s got their own individual goals that really fit in with the direction that the club is going in the W-League space… we just can’t wait to get started.